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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24923743">A new light</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderMendi666/pseuds/WonderMendi666'>WonderMendi666</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>High School Musical (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Getting to Know Each Other, Happy Ending, M/M, Older Characters, Post-Canon, Reframing Canon, Ryan reframes the past after new information, a little angsty but not too much, meeting in the future, they're in college</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:27:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,279</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24923743</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderMendi666/pseuds/WonderMendi666</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryan Evans is doing better than ever after a year in college, studying what he truly loves and working part-time at a little coffee shop. One day, Chad Danforth, someone he hadn't seen in a while, makes an appearance there and awakens some of Ryan's memories of the past.<br/>Some new information starts to make him see their past interactions with a new light as they start to know each other once more.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chad Danforth/Ryan Evans</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A new light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Heeey people, I'm really excited because it has been over six years since I wrote and posted a fanfiction. Also, I've been wanting to write chyan for SO LONG now and I finally had a good idea. I'm really excited about it and  hope whoever reads this likes it :DD<br/>I should say English is not my first language but I thought I'd give writing in English a go and I feel like it's decent. If any of you want to give me tips or help me with vocabulary at all, feel free! I want to better my prose writing. </p><p>Oh, also I'm Brazilian and the whole university system is different here so bear with me if maybe something doesn't make sense, I'm trying to make it make sense LOL drinking is legal here after you're 18 and after writing I remembered that's not the case in the US but I do feel like Ryan is someone who would drink underage (I imagine he's like 20 here) and Gabi is totally under 21. I'm not going to spoil this little prologue tho, enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The lights weren't lit and he was sitting in his chair in front of the computer, giggling and chatting with the screen as he sipped a little bit of wine from a white mug that ironically said "not a mug".<br/>
It was a quiet Thursday night, almost morning, and the only day they managed to schedule a video call. It was also almost Friday so it didn't <em>really</em> count as drinking during the week, of course.</p><p>He smiled and sipped his wine as Gabriella started telling yet another fascinating story from the now twelve months she's been living at her new campus. They had been living in different states for a while now, she in a dorm, and he in a slightly fancy apartment next to his campus. It was quite nice they had kept in touch, he couldn't say the same for the grand majority of people in high school – not that he wanted to keep in touch with the grand majority of people in high school =, and of all people he imagined he would be so friends with until this point, Gabriella definitely wasn't the first he would've guessed. Maybe not even the second.</p><p>He would've guessed Sharpay first, of course, why wouldn't he? Thinking about it now it made a whole lot of sense though, that after being basically glued to each other, literally since birth, some distance was very much appreciated. Not that he didn't love his sister, but they (finally) went their separate ways after graduation, he went to study theater at university and she decided to go to New York. They occasionally exchanged some information on each other's lives but it seemed like both were pretty happy with the newly acquired independence. He even more than her probably. For the first time in his life it was the Ryan show, Ryan decided things and Ryan was appreciated by the things he decided. Acting and singing would never be the same again, it was just so much better. He did love his sister a lot though, just so it stays clear.</p><p>His second guess would have actually been Kelsi, after all, they were indeed very close and very alike, you know, fans of musical theater, LGBTs, a shared appreciation for fancy hats... among many other things… but she also went elsewhere and, judging by the last conversation they had eleven months ago, was feeling very emancipated from her previous life (Ryan couldn’t think of a more deserving person than her). She had cut her hair very short and dyed it blue, had made many friends, and really sounded like a completely different, more confident and radiant, person. He was happy for her, but she was very missed.</p><p>And then there was Gabi. Gabi was so sweet, and now after all this digression, it did really make sense that she would be the one to keep in touch with. She didn’t change much from the person he knew in high school, she seemed more free and even more (if that was possible) mature, but she had always been a free and happy spirit. And they genuinely seemed to click after that junior year, like their friendship was just waiting to happen. They loved talking about the same things and hearing each other tell stories (they were both good listeners), so it was a nice way for both to keep themselves grounded after their lives changed so much in a span of a year.</p><p>“…so I ended up returning to my dorm room very… hm… <em>drunk</em>, which is not something I thought I would have done for now, maybe in two years or so. Also, I drunk dialed Troy who I thought would have been worried but was actually quite <em>amused</em>?” She rolled her eyes, but more in a way of making the story more amusing because she obviously knew it was a funny one.</p><p>Ryan smirked, “And what did you say to him?”</p><p>She scowled and shoved her hand at the camera “Nothing like <em>that</em>! I just wanted to tell him my impressions of the taste of tequilla and how I don’t think the lime makes it better… I mean… that I <em>remember</em>” she now seemed pensive. Ryan started to laugh, trying to not make it too loud for the sake of his sleeping neighbors.</p><p>“Oh my god that is so you” he wiped off a tear “Sorry, I thought this was going to be a naughty story”, he laughed a little more and sipped the wine. She kind of agreed with her head.</p><p>“I can’t blame you, after all the breach of expectation is what makes the story funny, I think” her glitchy image on Ryan’s computer smiled.</p><p>“Were you ok afterward though? That seemed like quite an experience”</p><p>“Oh yeah, I might have puked a little in the bathroom but I slept like a rock. My memory is foggy but my brain seemed to be good taking care of my drunk self” she was trying to remember the details of that night and then seemed surprised at the realization “wow I <em>was</em> really drunk”.<br/>
“Ok, my turn, you mentioned Troy and now I remembered I do have something to tell. It’s not much of a story though, just an odd occurrence”</p><p>Gabi changed her attention from her memory to Ryan and already seemed interested “I knew you had something! Ok, do tell”</p><p>He changed position in his chair and held his mug after taking the last sip ‘’So you know I’m taking a part-time job in this coffee shop, right?’’</p><p>‘’Yeah, I didn’t get that yet though, are you ok with your parents?”</p><p>“Sure I am, I just liked the taste of independence and thought I should have you know, <em>my</em> money? Plus I like it there, it’s a nice experience, I can make about five different methods of coffee now, and some fancy caffeinated drinks” he drifted off but came back quickly “But anyway, <em>guess who</em> made an appearance there this week?” He looked at the camera, not at the image of Gabi, at the actual camera because he wanted her to get the full image of him staring at her as she tried to guess.</p><p>“Uhhh a mystery… let me see…” she seemed excited “Michael? Oh no, wait… Harry!” Ryan rolled his eyes.</p><p>“No, come on, Gabi, these people go to my university, it’s not surprising for them to show at my coffee shop” he paused ‘’This was really surprising”</p><p>She changed up to a thoughtful expression “Ok… you said Troy made you think of it… someone from high school then?” Ryan nodded showing her she was getting somewhere.</p><p>“Someone unexpected”</p><p>“Err… Jason?” she didn’t seem to trust her answer. Ryan laughed.</p><p>“No, silly, Chad.” he said it as if it was obvious and she thought about it. “Danforth” he added.</p><p>“Oh, I mean, it’s not that surprising also, he <em>is</em> going to your university”. Ryan frowned.</p><p>“Seriously? I never ever saw him.” He tried to remember something but, no, never seen him, it was a huge university though “Well, we talked a little, it was nice, you know I only ever talk to you from high school”</p><p>“I believe he transferred there recently, I don’t know the reason though” Gabi said and then smirked “And how was it?” something about her tone suggested <em>something</em>. He looked at her suspiciously.</p><p>“That makes more sense… I guess…” He was now analyzing her expression while speaking “…It was normal? I mean he seemed really interested in keeping in touch, asked for my number and all, told me we should hang out sometime” she was still smirking a lot while listening “Okay you’ll have to explain to me what <em>that</em>…” he pointed at her image “…is all about. You know, we were pretty good friends after lava springs”.</p><p>“Are you going to?” she just plainly ignored his last sentence.</p><p>“What?” he was not following.</p><p>“To go out with him” ok, now he was definitely not following at all, or maybe she was the one who wasn’t.</p><p>“<em>What?</em> I think you’re really missing the point here.” What the hell was Gabi going on about? Nothing about his little encounter with Chad read that way at all, also it’s not like he was <em>desperate</em>, he had plenty of options, y’know, actual gay guys “I mean he is cute and all but what? It’s not like I’m going after any cute guy from my past, also <em>he’s straight</em>?”. He did think Chad was quite cute, but that was totally beside the point, anyone with eyes could see that.</p><p>Gabriella now had a very intimidating manic grin in her face, she started to giggle a lot. Ryan felt slightly unconformable. “Oh my god! You don’t know it, you totally don’t know it!” she was really enjoying this moment a lot.  </p><p>“Know what?” He was confused.</p><p>“Chad’s gay”</p><p>
  <em>What?</em>
</p><p>“What? How do you know that?”</p><p>That was new information but it didn’t really change anything… come on.</p><p>“Troy told me”</p><p>Okay, maybe it changed things <em>slightly</em>.</p><p>“Okay, how didn’t <em>I</em> know that?”. Gabriella giggled even more.</p><p>“Sorry, I really thought you knew? I mean I would’ve totally told you if I didn’t think you did, I love being the one with the hot goss, you know?” Yeah, she obviously did and that probably totally could be classified as <em>hot goss</em>.</p><p>Did Chad really say hang out? Or did he say go out? He could no longer remember.</p><p>“What is <em>happening</em>?” He looked at his mug and wished it had more wine in it.</p><p>“Well, he apparently came out just after we graduated, it wasn’t that big of a deal I think, I didn’t think much of it at the time, and you two were friends so I really thought you knew beforehand, you know, like Kelsi and all” Gabi sipped her water.</p><p>She did have a point, if Chad knew it back then why wouldn’t he have said anything? Ryan was really thinking about it. All their interactions were flashing through his head again and almost everything could have been interpreted in a completely different way considering this and…</p><p>“I’m so confused right now” he blurted out. Gabi giggled some more and then stopped.</p><p>“Sorry, Ry. I didn’t mean to confuse you.”</p><p>Ryan shook his hand at the camera “No, that’s not it, I know you didn’t Gabi, I’m just thinking about this…” He went silent and she looked puzzled.</p><p>His attention had drifted completely from the video call, he looked at his flip phone right next to the computer, thinking about how he had Chad’s number right there… he could just…</p><p>“Ok, I’ll just text him. Yeah. That should be ok.” Ryan said it in a rather serious manner, more if he was speaking to himself and considering his options than to Gabriella. Now she was the slightly uncomfortable one as she watched him. </p><p>“Hmmm… I’ll just go then, I mean, look! It’s almost 2 in the morning…” she started saying but Ryan still seemed very much in his head “…so, bye?” Ryan suddenly came back and smiled at the camera.</p><p>“Sorry Gabi, bye, I’ll talk to you soon! Sleep tight” he said at the camera and she smiled back. </p><p>The call ended. He looked again at his phone, strangely unsure of what to do. </p><p>He wasn’t the most romantic person in the world, he truly wasn’t, he had much more interesting things to focus his energy on, but… this felt… a little different. The moments he had shared with Chad in high school, since that summer in lava springs… He held some kind of fondness for those, always had, but he hadn’t given it much thought because, well, he didn’t expect much romance from it for obvious reasons. At least not consciously, he didn’t. It turns out the reasons weren’t that obvious now that he knew Chad was gay <em>all along</em>.</p><p>He took the phone and opened it, searching for Chad’s name in the contact’s list. </p><p>Normally if you’re a gay kid in high school you’d strive to find people like you, right? To not feel so… <em>alone</em>.  Ryan would guess that that could be especially true if you were into <em>sports</em> of all things. Or maybe that could very well be more of a reason stay closeted. He was totally overthinking this. </p><p>He was now typing a text. <em>“Hey! Ryan here, what do you think about Saturday?”</em>. He stared at the screen a little startled reading that little message to himself, trying to spot if there was something wrong with it. No, it didn’t seem like nothing was wrong. Chad was the one that suggested for them to… <em>hang out</em>. Nothing was wrong.</p><p>Everything was okay. Ryan hit the send button and heard the little swoosh that came with it. He couldn’t help but look at the screen for a few seconds after doing so, but of course, he wasn’t going to get any answers right now after all it was… 2:30 AM. He sighed.</p><p>“Oh my god, Ryan, what are you doing?” he mumbled to himself, put the phone away, and turned off his computer. “Time to rest, rest is good.” He took the mug of wine and left for the kitchen, mumbling random stuff to himself, trying to get back to the present moment he was living and away from overthinking things that weren’t even happening anymore. Or yet.</p><p>He came back to his room and jumped on his bed and under his covers, putting on a sleep mask comfortably against his eyes and relaxing his body. Drifting away from his thoughts.</p><p>
  <em>Maybe he didn’t say anything because he felt the same things.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Get ready for little Ryan revisiting his memories of lava springs and a very cute is this a date? encounter with Chad in the next chapter &lt;3 I'm all for characters getting to know each other again after some time has gone by DID I SAY HOW EXCITED I AM ABOUT THIS??????</p><p>If you like it please leave a comment and let me know haha</p><p>I write rather quickly when I'm motivated so next chapters are coming very soon, I'm just not posting them all at the same time because I like the suspense.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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